Eighty-two Days

by obi-ki

Title: Eighty-two Days
Author: obi-ki
Pairing: Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan
Archive: MA, anyone else please ask.
Category: AU, PWP
Rating: Adult
Spoilers & warnings: None
Era: Approximately 3 years prior to AOTC, timeline shifts to AU after TPM.
Summary: Even a basic homecoming can offer a few surprises.

Disclaimers: Everything Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and Lucasfilms. I am just playing in his world, borrowing the boyz and their accomplices and will return them all when I'm through. No money is being made from this; it is all done for entertainment only.

Author's notes: This story first appeared in MA fundraiser CD zine. Many thanks to Lori for all the effort and expense she incurs in maintaining the Master/Apprentice archive and for the time and effort she has spent assembling the CD fundraiser zine. The MA archive has not only provided a great place for me to archive my stories but has also provided me with many hours of enjoyable reading about the adventures of our favorite Star Wars characters and I am honored to be part of it. Thanks and chocolate Qui-Gon's to Monalee and Merry Amelie for the betas. Their keen eyes and great suggestions made this a better story. As always, I can't resist a few final tweaks so any mistakes are mine. Feedback is treasured in any way, shape or form at kiowkqgj@yahoo.com. Hope you enjoy the story.

Nimble fingers flew over the controls to power down the ship and with the last one completed, Obi-Wan Kenobi grabbed his carry sack from the compartment behind the pilot seat. After taking a moment to give the Temple mechanic a rundown of the damage to his fighter, he slung the bag over his shoulder with a grunt and strode out of the docking bay at a brisk clip.

Eighty-two days.

As he pushed a strand of dirty hair behind his ear, Obi-Wan contemplated that fact. He had been away from the Temple and the comfort of his fellow Jedi, not to mention that of his lifemate and apprentice, for eighty-two days. Eighty-two days spent either within the confines of his fighter's cockpit or on some Outer Rim hellhole chasing down information on the Commerce Guild and the Banking Clan and their shady dealings. His leads had led him from one harsh planet to another as he met contacts in bars and cantinas that would make Nar Shaddaa look like a vacation paradise. If the Force was with him, he actually found a bed in some insect-ridden public house but, more often than not, he slept tucked inside his somewhat fragrant bedroll in abandoned buildings or natural caves. Food and bathing facilities were even scarcer than sleeping quarters and during one particularly miserable stretch, he went ten days without a shower or anything other than water and field ration bars for nourishment. All in all, a miserable existence, Jedi serenity or not.

As he moved from the docking bay into the Temple proper, Obi-Wan couldn’t quite hide his smile when another person gave him a wide berth as they passed him in the hallway. Four days of trekking through the jungles of Kubindi, coupled with an adrenalin-filled escape and two days in his fighter, had left him emitting a rather strong odor in his wake.

Eighty-two days.

Eighty-two days in which the knowledge that he was fulfilling his duty to the Jedi Order and the Republic was his only comfort and consolation.

Eighty-two days away from the comfort of his quarters, from the luxury of abundant food and water, of clean clothing and warm blankets, from the warmth of his lover's body pressed against him in sleep, from the unique and sometimes exasperating observations of their pubescent padawan.

Eighty-two days without being able to see the love that always shone for him in Qui-Gon's blue eyes, away from everything in this world that he loved and cared about. The door to their quarters came into view and Obi-Wan couldn't hold back his sigh of relief.

Eighty-two days and he was finally home.

Obi-Wan placed his palm against the entry pad, impatience welling in him as the door seemed to take forever to slide open. He stood for a long moment in the open doorway, immersing himself in the familiar scent that had represented love and security to him for more than half of his life.

Home.

A rumble of laughter broke him from his reverie and Obi-Wan looked up to see Qui-Gon walking towards him. "You going to stand in the doorway all day or do you plan on coming in?"

With a self-deprecating chuckle of his own, Obi-Wan moved forward enough to allow the door to slide closed behind him even as he held out his hand to halt his lover's approach. "I wouldn't come much closer if I were you. I'm rather rank."

Qui-Gon continued forward until they were face to face. "Don't care," he whispered before pressing a gentle kiss to Obi-Wan's lips. "Welcome home."

One hand slipping into Qui-Gon's hair, Obi-Wan leaned in for a longer kiss before pulling back with a heavy sigh. "After eighty-two days living in the depths of Sith hell, you can't imagine how good it is to be home."

A few more lingering kisses and Qui-Gon stepped back with a smile. "I have a good idea." He pushed Obi-Wan in the direction of their bedroom as he added, "And it'll be even better after you've had a chance to shower and change."

Obi-Wan hesitated, torn between not wanting to leave his lover's side and the thought of actually being clean for the first time in too long. A light swat to his backside got his attention.

"Go. I'll have tea and food waiting for you when you get out and Anakin should be back from class by then," Qui-Gon said.

The enticement of being clean and coming back to edible food was too much to resist. "Okay, I'm going," Obi-Wan replied as he headed to their bedroom. Turning back as he reached the doorway, he smirked and added, "You may want to dig out some room sanitizer before we think about eating."

The sound of Qui-Gon's laughter followed him into the bedroom. Dropping his bag to the floor, Obi-Wan quickly stripped out of his clothing, tossing the filthy items beside his bag before grabbing his toiletries and heading into the refresher. After cleaning his teeth and grooming his beard, he set the water just this side of scalding and stepped into the shower. His mental sigh of pleasure must have been just as loud as his audible one as he felt a wash of mental laughter from his bondmate. He just stood under the pounding spray for long minutes, letting it drain the tension from his muscles. Only when he felt the water starting to cool, did he finally set to the task of getting clean.

When Obi-Wan emerged from the refresher he could tell that Qui-Gon had come into the bedroom because his bag had been unpacked, his dirty clothing bundled for the laundry and a clean inner tunic and leggings were laid out for him on the bed. Obi-Wan pulled on the clothing, ran a brush through his towel-dried hair and then headed out into the kitchen.

Anakin had returned while he'd been in the shower and the three of them settled at the table immediately. After so long without, the hot and hearty fare was more satisfying than the most elaborate feast and he dug into the food with relish. The length of the meal was spent in pleasant conversation with Qui-Gon and Anakin filling him in on the events that had occured in Temple during his absence. He drank in the familiar and peaceful routine, feeling relaxed and content for the first time in way too long.

Anakin handled the clean-up while Qui-Gon showered and Obi-Wan settled at the comm station to go through the mail that had accumulated during the eighty-two days he was away. He had barely made it through the first ten messages when Anakin appeared beside the desk. "See you tomorrow, Master Obi-Wan," the teenager said.

"Going somewhere, Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked as he caught sight of the backpack slung over Anakin's shoulder.

"Spending the night at Toryn's." A sly smile appeared on Anakin's face as he added, "Figured you and Master Qui-Gon could use some privacy."

"You don't have to go, Anakin," Obi-Wan countered, feeling guilty that the boy believed it was necessary for him to leave their quarters.

The teenager's smile widened a bit as he answered, "Better this way. You two tend to be rather intense when you've been apart for a while."

Obi-Wan felt the blush heating his cheeks as the innuendo behind the words registered but before he could come up with a reply, Anakin spoke again. "This way I might actually be able to get some sleep."

"We keep you awake?" Obi-Wan croaked, his blush deepening.

"Not all the time. But when you've been apart for a while, the impressions leaking over the bond tend to be rather intense." Anakin winked and added, "Plus you can be pretty loud, Master Obi-Wan."

If teleportation had been a Jedi skill, Obi-Wan would have chosen this moment to vanish into the ether but had to settle for burying his head in his hands. When he regained enough composure to speak, he raised his head and looked at Anakin sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Toryn and I have an astrophysics project to work on and by tomorrow you'll have gotten the worst of it out of your systems," Anakin replied nonchalantly.

It took every ounce of strength Obi-Wan had not to hide his face again as he suggested, "Maybe we could obtain some kind of portable shielding."

"It's okay, really doesn't happen that often," Anakin assured. A slight blush tinted the teenager's cheeks as he admitted, "Plus I've managed to pick up a few ideas that have gone over very well when I've been experimenting with my friends."

Obi-Wan groaned, wondering how much trouble he'd be in if he cut a hole in the floor with his lightsaber so he could disappear through it. Luckily, Anakin spared him any further embarrassment by heading towards the door.

"I'll meet you guys in our regular training room after mid-meal. Can't wait to show you the new kata I learned." Anakin palmed the door open and added, "Have fun," before disappearing into the hallway.

Obi-Wan banged his head on the desk a few times, desperate to get the images from Anakin's revelation out of his mind. He could feel the presence of his bondmate lurking behind the bedroom door and called out, "You can come out now, you coward."

Qui-Gon had the grace to look contrite when he came to Obi-Wan's side. "Did you know about all of this?" Obi-Wan groaned.

"He asked if he could spent the night with Toryn but I just thought he was being considerate," Qui-Gon replied. "He definitely did not see fit to provide me with the detailed explanation he shared with you." The half smile that tugged at Qui-Gon's lips was in direct contrast to his comment.

Lifting his head from the desk, Obi-Wan glared at his lover. "But you suspected, didn’t you?"

"Only the you being loud part," Qui-Gon admitted with a chuckle. "I never imagined that he was getting impressions through our shields. Though with his strength in the Force and the fact that he shares bonds with both of us, I suppose I should have."

"Do you think he's always been able to sense us when…" Obi-Wan let the question trail off in horror.

Qui-Gon was silent for a long moment, contemplating the question with his usual focus before answering. "I would say no or at least that he would not have recognized what he was sensing. I suspect that he only started understanding what he was feeling when he started experimenting sexually, alone and with his peers. He would not have had a point of reference for comparison before that time."

"Thank the Force for small favors," Obi-Wan muttered.

"I do every day - especially for bringing you into my life," Qui-Gon said, deftly changing the subject. He reached over, shutting down the display in front of Obi-Wan as he added, "And since our padawan was so considerate to give us privacy, no matter the reason, I suggest we make the most of it."

A wave of lust washed over Obi-Wan at the mental image that accompanied Qui-Gon's words but it was quickly doused as he remembered Anakin's revelation. "I'm not sure I’ll be able to."

"I'm certain that I can make you forget about anything and everything outside of our bedroom, including Anakin," Qui-Gon boasted as his fingers slipped inside the V of Obi-Wan's light tunic.

Obi-Wan sucked in a breath as Qui-Gon's fingers brushed over his nipple. "Am I really that loud?"

"Sometimes, but I love the sounds that you make and do my best to ensure that you continue making them," Qui-Gon admitted with a smile. The smile turned lecherous as he added, "I could always gag you if Ani is around."

A surge of lust went through Obi-Wan at that thought and he had to shift to alleviate the pressure in his suddenly too tight leggings.

Qui-Gon must have noticed because his fingers stroked over the nipple and he whispered into Obi-Wan's ear, "We'll have to keep that in mind for another time. But tonight, I find I want to be able to hear your pleasure, my Obi-Wan." The fingers tweaked the nipple again a little harder. "Unless you have some objection?"

All thoughts of Anakin's revelation forgotten at Qui-Gon's long-denied touch, Obi-Wan pushed his chair back and grabbed a fistful of his lover's tunic. "No objection," he said before he covered Qui-Gon's mouth with his own. He continued the kiss as he walked backwards towards their bedroom, dragging Qui-Gon along with him. They moved slowly, a deft application of the Force keeping them from tripping over anything as their full concentration was given to the kiss.

Only pulling away from the kiss when the back of his knees hit the edge of the mattress, Obi-Wan released his hold on Qui-Gon's tunic. He quickly pulled off his own tunic and leggings and collapsed onto the turned-down bed with an exaggerated sigh. His eyes closed in appreciation. "Bed, sweet bed. You don't know how many nights I dreamed of being in this bed." His eyes opened, raking up and down the length of Qui-Gon's body. "Only thing missing right now is you, so get naked and get over here."

"Yes, Master," Qui-Gon teased as he began stripping off his clothes.

Obi-Wan's eyes remained glued to Qui-Gon's body as the clothing covering it slowly disappeared, darkening with lust at each newly revealed patch of skin. He opened his arms as the leggings hit the floor and groaned in pleasure as Qui-Gon's weight pressed him down into the bed. "Missed this, missed you, so much," he whispered against his lover's neck.

"As I've missed you," Qui-Gon replied before twisting to bring their mouths back together. As the kiss deepened, they rocked their hips against one another, long absence making their arousal build quickly. Qui-Gon broke the kiss, moving his lips to Obi-Wan's neck. When he began to suck a passion mark to the surface, Obi-Wan cried out in pleasure, arching upward when his teeth bit down on the sensitive skin.

When Qui-Gon would have slid downward, Obi-Wan twined his fingers into the long hair, tugging until Qui-Gon's mouth was a hair's breadth away from his own. "No, can’t wait…" His words faded away as he arched up into the body spread over him and pressed their mouths together.

The kiss went from tender to devouring in the blink of an eye as Qui-Gon instinctively understood and reacted to Obi-Wan's powerful need. As their kiss deepened, the pressure of their hips pushing against each other increased as well, the moisture forming between their bodies adding to the delicious friction. There was no finesse to their lovemaking, just a deep-seated urgency to reconnect physically after so much time apart.

Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around Qui-Gon's waist to press them tighter together and it took less than a minute before he felt his balls tightening. His moan of completion was smothered in their kiss as his orgasm sizzled through him. He pulsed his release onto Qui-Gon's stomach and after a few seconds was aware of an answering wetness coating the tops of his thighs. It took a few more minutes before his breathing evened out and Qui-Gon rolled off of him. "That was…" He stopped, unable to find the right word to describe the encounter.

"Yes, it was. Just hope it gave you what you needed," Qui-Gon replied with a smile.

"Definitely. Now we just need a few minutes of recovery time and we can attend to your needs. I seem to recall you mentioning wanting to hear my pleasure," Obi-Wan murmured huskily.

"I plan on concentrating my considerable experience on drawing out those sounds, my own. Though I may need more than a few minutes of recovery time before that can happen," Qui-Gon replied in the same husky tone.

Suddenly Anakin's revelation and ensuing absence took on a more positive light. "Well, since we don't need to meet up with our very considerate padawan until after mid-meal tomorrow, that will give us a long enough interval to be able to rest, recover and start anew multiple times," Obi-Wan said with a smirk.

"I fear you have too high an expectation of my stamina, Obi-Wan. This is an area where age and experience are a detriment rather than a benefit," Qui-Gon quipped.

"I have complete faith that I will be able to overcome any limitations that your advanced age could produce." Obi-Wan dove in for a quick kiss, stopping any comeback that Qui-Gon might have been planning. When he pulled back, he rolled onto his side and laid his head on a broad shoulder.

Qui-Gon must have sensed the fatigue overtaking him because he wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan, pulling him more firmly against his side. "Rest now and we can continue this later."

Though his mind wanted to continue right now, his weary body had other ideas. The comfort of his own bed and the warmth of Qui-Gon beside him were accomplishing something that complete exhaustion had not been able to achieve as readily. Obi-Wan was rapidly drifting off to sleep. In fact, he was falling asleep in spite of his lingering arousal. "Love you," he whispered against the skin beneath his lips as he snuggled into the comfort of Qui-Gon's embrace.

After eighty-two days of traveling from one hellhole to another, of being alone under some of the worst conditions he had ever endured in all his years as a Jedi, he was back home. There would be time for all the comforts that being home entailed, including being fucked into a puddle by his beloved bondmate. But for now he would relish the comfort of being held in Qui-Gon's arms while he slept, knowing that, for the first time in eighty-two days, waking up would be something to look forward to.

The End.